'Moment for eternity': Lochner retires with Olympic bobsleigh double

Johannes Lochner completed an Olympic bobsleigh double by taking four-man gold in a German one-two on Sunday in which his team-member Thorsten Margis claimed a Games record fifth career gold in the sport.

Lochner won the two-man event with Georg Fleischhauer earlier in the week and then teamed up with Fleischhauer, Margis and Jörn Wenzel to dominate the four-man event as well, leading from the first run onwards in his last career event.

Francesco Friedrich got silver with his team as in the two-man, after double golds in 2018 and 2022, .57 of a second behind the winners.

Swiss pilot Michael Vogt prevented a second German medal sweep when he stole the bronze from Adam Ammour in the fourth and final run by four-hundredths of a second.

"This is a moment for eternity. It's the most perfect ending ever," Lochner said.

"It's unbelievable that a plan could work out like this on my last run. I still can't believe it, and it will take me forever to realize it. It's just a dream that has been playing in my head for two years. That it's now come true is indescribable."

Friedrich said: “It feels good. Gold would feel better, but Hansi did such a great job the whole Olympic Games, and so they have won gold. We can only congratulate them for their great sport that they did here."

Friedrich would not rule out continuing until 2030 where he could catch up with Margis who became the first bobsleigh athlete with five career gold.

He was part of Friedrich's team in 2018 and 2022, later originally retired but returned in Lochner's team.

"A little bit difficult to put that in words. One and a half years before, Hansi asked me to come in his sled and we made a plan," Margius said.

"It's quite cool if such a plan works out, and it's pretty amazing to beat the most successful bobsleigh pilot in the world of our time."

Germany dominated the bob events in Cortina again with three gold medals from four races. Their other gold came Saturday from Laura Nolte in the two-women.

In all, Germany collected 19 of its 26 Games medals in the sliding sports, the others being luge and skeleton.